Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection which is usually spread through partaking in unprotected sex, including oral, anal and vaginal, as well as from the sharing of sex toys with an infected person. It is the most commonly diagnosed STD in the UK, especially amongst sexually active teens and young adults, though, due to it being often symptomless people tend not to get checked as much as necessary.  It is highly recommended, therefore, that anyone who falls into these categories gets screened every year or when changing sexual partners.

Chlamydia is caused by a bacterium called chlamydia trachomatis which is passed on from person to person via infected fluids, including semen or vaginal fluid. Once passed on, it lives within the vagina, penis and/or rectum and as such, it can be easily shared through unprotected sex without a condom or through the sharing of sex toys with a person carrying the infection. In some cases, it can be spread by the genitals simply coming into contact with an infected partner’s genitals, without penetration or ejaculation being necessary, or infected fluid getting into the eye.

More than half of women with chlamydia will experience no symptoms making it even more crucial to get regular testing if you have different partners or unprotected sex. If symptoms occur, they will often begin within a 21 day window of contact with the infected person and can include:

• milky or yellow vaginal discharge

• pain during urination

• discomfort in the stomach and/or pelvic area

• pain and/or bleeding during or after sex

• nausea

• fever

• spotting between periods

Nearly 50% of men carrying it will not experience symptoms either, but if they do they will usually show anywhere between 1 and 3 weeks from the initial infection. They can include:

• discharge from the penis

• burning during urination

• pain within or around the testicles

• a throat infection

• conjunctivitis

• pain, discharge or bleeding of the rectum

Symptoms can disappear on their own but this does not mean the infection has gone. So if you experience any unusual changes after having unprotected sex, it is vital you get tested.

If left untreated, chlamydia can cause a host of unpleasant, longterm and even life-altering issues for both men and women. 

In women, untreated chlamydia can cause:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious condition which occurs when the bacteria spread to the womb.  It can result in infertility and ectopic pregnancies, early miscarriages and premature births as well as deep pelvic pain.
• Cervicitis which causes the cervix to develop cysts and become enlarged leading to back and pelvic pain as well as excessive discharge. 
• Salpingitis, a blockage of the fallopian tube which stops the fertilised egg’s passage into the womb resulting in it becoming stuck in the fallopian tube, causing an ectopic pregnancy. 
• Chlamydia can be passed on to a baby during childbirth which can result in the baby developing an eye infection or pneumonia.
• Bartholinitis, a painful condition which results in the mucus-secreting glands in the vagina to become infected and/or blocked causing abscesses and cysts to develop.

In men, untreated chlamydia can result in:

• inflammation of the rectum and/or testicles
• an infection of the urethra, resulting in kidney damage
• swelling of the tube which stores and transports semen leading to infertility and/or abscesses
• reactive arthritis which is joint pain and swelling triggered by an infection elsewhere within the body, usually affecting the knees, hips, ankles, toes and feet. The inflammation can also affect your eyes or skin.

Whether male or female, and whether you are experiencing active symptoms or not; if you have had unprotected sex or changed sexual partners, it is vital for your short and longterm health to get screened. It is simple to do and available from your GP, local sexual health clinic and it is even possible to do online.

Treating Chlamydia is very simple so there is no reason to be concerned if you have tested positive for it.  As such, the first step is to get screened either by your GP or local sexual health clinic. You can also order a test kit online and perform it at home if you feel more comfortable doing this. The test is simple and requires you to insert a swab into your urethra to check if your fluids are carrying the bacteria. 

If you test positive, your doctor or pharmacist will recommend you take an antibiotic, usually given as a 100mg dose to be taken twice a day or else as a one-off treatment. It is crucial to take the complete course to ensure you fully clear the infection. 

You can easily and discreetly purchase the chlamydia treatment online at Click Pharmacy once you have been tested positive for the infection. There is a quick questionnaire to complete so our doctors can assess the suitability of your treatment after which you can check out quickly and easily. You may prefer to book an appointment with one of Click Pharmacy's online doctors who can also offer advice as to which medication to purchase and supply you with a prescription. Your order will be sent to your home in discreet packaging the next working day if ordered before 3 pm.

The treatment time varies based on the medication you take, but usually, you will be given antibiotics which are to be taken for between 7 and 10 days.

Always read the patient information leaflet before starting your treatment.

If you're sexually active, you need to get tested regularly because, in chlamydia's case, you might not experience any symptoms initially. However, as the infection progresses and noticeable signs appear, it has a high possibility of causing life-threatening complications.

Now the question arises, how to diagnose chlamydia? Nucleic Acid Amplification tests, or NAATs, are the most effective ways to diagnose it. In women, health professionals prefer vaginal swabs for testing. While in men, diagnosis through urine samples is standard. Chlamydia testing kits are also available to test for chlamydia at home easily.

Leaving chlamydia untreated can cause irreversible damage. Not treating it on time can lead to conditions such as reactive arthritis, epididymis, or infection in newborns, where the infected mother transmits the infection to the baby. While it may not be too simple to diagnose this infection, start your treatment as soon as possible if you're diagnosed with it.

Take sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia seriously. Please do not take the risk of letting it go untreated. Instead, get tested regularly to avoid the infection. 

Since the treatment of chlamydia is usually through antibiotics, it does have some side effects. However, the side effects are not threatening or permanent, so do not worry. The common side effects you might face include mild diarrhoea, stomachache, and nausea. Still, remember that if you feel too sick during the treatment, it's best to consult your doctor about it.

Generally, the treatment for chlamydia works effectively. Still, factors like not taking the medication correctly or your partner not being fully recovered from the infection, etc., can cause the infection to remain in your body even after treatment. In such cases, go back to your GP and get checked again. Getting repeat infections with chlamydia is common; do not panic about it. Instead, take your medication as prescribed; it will be fine.

If you had chlamydia and were on antibiotics for the treatment but are unsure if it fully healed or if you've caught it again, you should wait at least three months before retaking the test. However, even if you think that the treatment worked and you don't have the infection anymore, taking the test after a few months is still practical just to be safe.

You cannot get chlamydia treatment over the counter as it's not a topical antibiotic. The treatment might be simple, but you shouldn't buy anything to treat chlamydia without a healthcare professional's prescription.

If you have a doctor's prescription for chlamydia treatment, then yes, you can buy the prescribed treatment online. However, consulting your doctor before purchasing any chlamydia treatment is necessary for your safety.